clipless update--woohooo!!!

[shewhobikes]

Ok, let me begin with this: You ladies are the best. After disastrous first attempt on the clipless pedals in previous thread, you reminded me to check the tension. Can't believe I forgot to ask the lbs about that when they put the pedals on (and hey, I kinda think they should have brought that up and started me out better. But they've been great so I won't gripe much.)

Anyway, got out my handy tool and found that the dadgum thing was about as tight as it will go. No wonder I fell over!

Did the lefty-loosey thing and, as luck would have it, another gorgeous afternoon beckoned, so I tried another test drive and....

YES!!! It was perfect! Heaven! Easy to click in and out, even when avoiding rollerblading folks with Ipods in their ears. (I went on the multi-use path to avoid clip-out confrontation with vehicles.) I'm sure as time goes by I will develop the muscle memory and be able to tighten them a bit.

Anyway, thanks SO much for the encouragement and the helpful tips. Hope others of you are getting good spring weather now. Here in Alabama, it's blissful. Dogwoods and azaleas blooming; only downside is LOTS of pollen falling. Take heart, though. It's lovely now, but in June it'll be 90+ degrees and humidity. Best,
Dale

[Biking Chick]

:::high fives!!!:::

Awesome! I know you're going to love clipless.

[nuthatch]

So glad you had a good experience! Clipless is the only way to go!

[CorsairMac]

Awesome job Shew!! AIn't it funny how sometimes it's just the simplest of things that make all the difference!!! Enjoy your pedals!!!

[SnappyPix]

That's fantastic!
So glad the advice helped you out - no going back for you now!
Happy pedalling!!

[bikerchick68]

hey congrats! I read your story yesterday but was busy at work so no tiem to reply... anyway... as time goes by, they may get "sticky" from being set down when you unclip... I just spray a little white lightening on mine to re-lube them...

also, I was professionally fit by John Howard... he recommended learning to unclip on BOTH sides and switching off at every stop... this allows muscles and more importantly the IT band to be stretched on each side whenever you put your foot down at a stop! So far so good altho it took me a while to figure out how to unclip left... felt like I was riding clipless for the first time too!

[shewhobikes]

Good tips from Bikerchick.

[Crankin]

I have been unclipping with the left for 3 years, even though I am right handed. Now my right pedal seems a little harder to get out of when I finish my rides, which I am sure is because it hasn't been used as much. Everytime I think of starting to unclip with it, it just feels unnatural. Generally my pedals are really easy to get in and out of (Speedplays). I have unclipped right when riding my mtb with spds out on the road, while riding to the trails. However, I am pretty new to mtb, and I still don't clip in all of the time on the trails. My worst crashes have been when I was going uphill, couldn't decide which gear to use, lost momentum, and then couldn't unclip due to a great amount of fear! I know this will eventually go away; I never even think about clipping in on my road bike.